Dana Olsen

Dana Olsen, yeah, the guy behind some of those oddball comedies that somehow worm their way into your brain and never quite leave. Born in Evanston, Illinois, back in ‘58, Olsen’s got that classic Midwest vibe, but don’t let that fool you—his work is way off-center in the best way. He cooked up The ‘Burbs, which, let’s be honest, is basically Tom Hanks spiraling in suburbia, snooping on his weirdo neighbors and losing his mind over what’s basically a bunch of totally unhinged suburban shenanigans. There’s this weird blend of comedy and paranoia that just works, even if it makes you side-eye your own neighbors for a hot minute. Then there’s George of the Jungle. Yeah, the one with Brendan Fraser swinging into trees and being a complete himbo before “himbo” was even a thing. Olsen’s writing takes this old-school cartoon and turns it into a live-action circus—absurd, slapstick, and totally self-aware. Honestly, it’s goofy but in that way where you can’t help but laugh, even if you’re technically an adult. He also took a crack at Memoirs of an Invisible Man, which is less about laughs and more about Chevy Chase dealing with the whole “Oops, I’m invisible now” fiasco. It’s got this weird, slightly noir vibe with Olsen’s fingerprints all over the script—snarky asides, awkward situations, and just enough heart to keep it from going completely off the rails. So yeah, Dana Olsen’s stuff is a weird cocktail of satire, slapstick, and that sort of offbeat charm you can’t manufacture. He’s not a household name, but his scripts? Unforgettable.